Miatta Fahnbulleh who turns 78th today, was one of the most beloved and versatile singers of the 20th century. In a career that spanned over five decades, Miatta Fahnbulleh who had a nominal affection for the name “Tata” recorded several songs, including “Ain’t No Way For A Woman” Amo Sake Sa” Sasa Sa Bondo”( The Ladies Song) “Obaa” “Going Home” (feat. Gbanja Carter) “Sweet Mama” “Kamala’s Song” one of the three tracks on her Still Kicking It project, released in 2025.
By Odarty Blackie, contributing writer
These are still versions of many standards. Along the way she influenced generations of singers not just from her home in Grand Cape Mount County nor Liberia but arguably across Africa’s continent going far beyond.
At 78, Fahnbulleh stills maintained her soulful voice. Singer Anitram, who won Female Artist of the Year” and “New Artist of the Year” at Liberia’s prestigious MLMA ceremony in 2023 says a combination of qualities made Fahnbulleh’s voice unique. “When you hear the tone of her voice — which has kind of a brightness, kind of a breathiness, but it also has this really great depth, and kind of a laser-like, really clear quality to it, it hits you,” she says.
Civil Rights Singer Guitar at 47, says he learned to sing jazz standards by listening to Miatta Fahnbulleh’s versions.
“I remember in my prime, when I needed a transition because I was feeling really sick and wanting to evolve, and listening to Aunty Miatta Fahnbulleh singing ‘ Amo SaKe Sa,’ ” Guitar says. “And I would listen to that all day. All day. For, like, weeks. And it felt so different, it created a home for me.”
Miatta Fahnbulleh had perfect pitch, impeccable diction and a remarkable sense of rhythm. And it all came naturally to her, as she told the VOA in 2014. “What I sing is only what I feel,” she said. “I had some lady asked me the other day about music lessons and I never, except for what I had to learn for my half-credit in school — I’ve never given it a thought. I’ve never taken breathing lessons. I had to go for myself, and I guess that’s how I got a style.”
Despite her extraordinary talent, Miatta Fahnbulleh in the early stage of her career faced resistance from her family. Her father, H. Boimah Fahnbulleh Sr., who was Liberia’s ambassador to Kenya at the time, did not initially want her to pursue music, seeing it as an unconventional path for a young woman. Still, Miatta pressed on.
She sang in public whenever she could, studied at junior college in Kenya, and later left for the United States in 1968 to study journalism, all while quietly building the voice that would one day captivate the world.
Her career reached a global stage when she performed at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway. By then, she had already toured Europe and West Africa and worked with legendary musicians in the 80s including Hugh Masekela of South Africa.
Songs such as “Amo Sake Sa” and her interpretations of jazz standards resonated far beyond Liberia, earning her recognition as a singer whose music could cross borders and cultures.
Her performances have been described as soulful and deeply expressive, inspiring generations of artists across continents.
Miatta Fahnbulleh’s discography spans decades. Her first major release, In Kokolioko (1979), marked her arrival as a serious artist, and she has continued to record ever since.
Even at 77, she remains active, releasing her latest EP “Still Kicking It,” at 77 last year in Ghana, proving that her voice and style are timeless. From her early days performing at the Apollo Theater in Harlem with the Negro Ensemble Company to her work as a social activist in Liberia, Miatta’s music reflects both her artistry and her enduring commitment to change.
